""We haven't had selection yet, but we could put Ramanauskas into the mid-field. We could give Ramanauskas the challenge on McLeod. In general we have been playing Mark Johnson and Marc Bullen in the centre. We have replaced most of the midfield at times this year and we are just starting to play good strong footy together. We are not an experienced midfield side yet but we had to make changes after last year,"" Sheedy said.
Essendon will be attempting to win its third successive match on Friday night. A feat it is yet to achieve this season. The Bombers' have been in solid form over the last two weeks - convincingly defeating Geelong and St.Kilda and will take confidence into the match. Sheedy attributes this good form to having the majority of the list available for selection. ""I think we are starting to play better now that the team is a bit more settled. Mind you we lost Misiti probably for a week or two. Our younger players are starting to gain some experience.""
Sheedy was pleased with the four quarter performance against St.Kilda and the fashion the team ended the match. They turned on five goals in the final quarter and they kept the Saints to just one goal, which they kicked in the dying minutes. ""We needed to win desperately so it was pleasing from that point of view. It is a situation where we have to play our best footy and get the best out of ourselves. We have a huge game over in Adelaide this week. Last time we went there we played pretty good footy in the final last year without Hird and Lloyd,"" the four time premiership coach said.
Essendon is currently just outside the top eight and it is no secret the team needs to keep winning to ensure it will feature in the September action. Friday night has already been dubbed as a ""mini final"" by the club and they are determined to win three in a row and also secure their first interstate victory this season. With the Bendigo Bombers in good form, Sheedy said things are getting tough at the selection table. “At the moment our reserves team is up and winning and playing really good and exciting footy. They are basically one game outside the eight. We have a lot pressure around the club and we have to justify our selections to the players and you want to try and get it right.""
The exciting thing about the season is that any team has the opportunity to win the premiership. Even though Essendon's focus at the moment is to get in the top eight, Sheedy did comment that you just have to look at the results on the weekend to know that the season is wide open. ""Anyone can win it this year - it is wide open. If you get in the top four you naturally have the best opportunity, but anything can happen.""
